Connection between frame and power transmitting rod of a shed-forming machine

ABSTRACT

Connecting rod connection, especially for use with heddle frames. A connecting rod is provided for connecting to an opening in a heddle frame by having a pair of plates forming a yoke and projecting beyond the end of a connecting rod and, when in operative position, projecting to a point adjacent a connecting point for the heddle frame. A sleeve is affixed to one side of the yoke and projects toward the other thereof while a pin is affixed to said latter-named side, is positioned coaxially with said sleeve and projects toward the first-named side. The heddle frame is provided with an opening snugly but pivotally received over the external diameter of said sleeve, each of said sides are provided with alignment means such as serrations by which they are properly related to the connecting rod to be in accurate alignment with each other for coaxial reception of said pin into the internal diameter of said sleeve. Clamp means clamp said sides against the connecting rod and into the heddle frame.

United States Patent [191 Palau 1 Dec. 18, 1973 I CONNECTION BETWEEN FRAME AND POWER TRANSMITTING ROD OF A SHED-FORMING MACHINE [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Staubli Ltd., Zurich, Switzerland [22] Filed: May 24, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 256,536

Joseph Palau, l-laute-Savoie, France [30] Foreign Application Priority Data 1,127,685 8/1956 France 139/84 Primary Examiner--James Kee Chi Atmrney-Woodhams, Blanchard & Flynn [5 7] ABSTRACT Connecting rod connection, especially for use with heddle frames. A connecting rod is provided for conneeting to an opening in a heddle frame by having a pair of plates forming a yoke and projecting beyond the end of a connecting rod and, when in operative position, projecting to a point adjacent a connecting point for the heddle frame. A sleeve is affixed to one side of the yoke and projects toward the other thereof while a pin is affixed to said latter-named side, is positioned coaxially with said sleeve and projects toward the first-named side. The heddle frame is provided with an opening snugly but pivotally received over the external diameter of said sleeve, each of said sides are provided with alignment means such as serrations by which they are properly related to the connecting rod to be in accurate alignment with each other for coaxial reception of said pin into the internal diameter of said sleeve. Clamp means clamp said sides against the connecting rod and into the heddle frame.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures CONNECTION BETWEEN FRAME AND POWER TRANSMITTING ROD OF A SHED-FORMING MACHINE The invention relates to a releasable connection be tween the frame and power transmitting connecting rod in a weaving machine having positively operating shed-forming apparatus, which connection has two lamina which are arranged in parallel side-by-side relationship and are connected to the connecting rod, between which lamina a pivot means is arranged which is supported with a sliding fit in an opening of the frame, and wherein at least one of the lamina carries a part of the pivot means.

The movement of levers and jointed connecting rods is transmitted between a positively operating shedforming apparatus and the heddle frames of the associated weaving machine, which connecting rods are in normal practice releasable at least at the connecting point with the heddle frame. This releasability permits a quick exchange of the heddle frames if a new warp is placed in the weaving machine.

The connecting rod in at least one form of the prior art is connected to the frame through a pin which extends through the frame, which pin is secured between two fork-shaped arranged sheet metal bands. The ends of the bands remote from the pin are secured on the connecting rod.

In known constructions the two sheet metal bands consist of a resilient material. The pin which extends through the frame is secured on one band and is'supported loosely on the other band. The pin can, however, also consist of two equally or unequally long partial pins of which each one is secured in a band. The frame is thus changed with respect to the connecting rod by spreading apart the resilient bands and correspondingly separating the pin portions. The spreading is for this purpose only sufficient that the frame can be removed or inserted through the space so created. The bands may not be too long for reasons of rigidity and should not be deformed permanently by their spreading apart.

This arrangement and the operation caused by it result in the pins moving in and out of the bore of the frame in a slightly inclined condition with respect to the axis of said bore which requires that a relatively large installation clearance must exist between pin and bore. The disadvantages consist therefore in that the heddle frame is no longer driven accurately and clearance-free and after some time a lack of precision in the joint will develop. Furthermore it may easily happen that only one sheet metal band transmits the power of the connecting rod because too many factors influence the position of the pin at the free end. It is also known that the resilient bands buckle easily under the effect of the large forces which must be transmitted by the connecting rod and thus often require more than the space of one heddle frame unit which isavailable to the connecting rod. An interference between the rod and the adjacent heddle frame thus develops and results usually in destroying of one part.

The purpose of the invention consists in obtaining a releasable connection which permits a quick exchange of the heddle frames and which assures such a tight fit that in spite of the reciprocating movements the connecting bearing is not extended. Furthermore the power from the connecting rod is to be transmitted equally over the two lamina onto the frame and the lamina are not to be used as resilient lamina during exchange of the heddle frame.

This is obtained in the case of a releasable connection of the mentioned type by providing an arrangement wherein the lamina consist of a practically nonresilient material, whereby one lamina forms a part of the power transmitting rod, and carries a sleeve which has a central hole, while the other lamina carries a pin which can be moved with a snug fit or press fit into the hole of the sleeve and can be removed axially thereof, and wherein both lamina, or their ends remote from the sleeve and the pin, can be connected by means of a re' leasable clamping member.

One exemplary embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is illustrated in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the releasable connection which is mounted on the frame,

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the same arrangement,

FIG. 3 is the same cross-sectional view with the connecting rod not yet mounted and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line AA of FIG. 1.

The illustrated releasable connection is intended to assure a tight and clearance-free power connection between the connecting rod 2 and the frame 3. The driving power of a dobby is thereby transmitted onto the heddle frame of a weaving machine. The lamina 4, which consists normally of a nonresilient material, has a sleeve 5 which is arranged perpendicularly to the axis of the lamina and is secured to the connecting rod 2. The outside diameter of the sleeve provides a sliding fit to the diameter of the opening 8 of the frame 3. The loose lamina 6 has a block 7 on one end and a pin 9 in register with the sleeve 5, which pin can be introduced with a snug fit or a press fit into the opening 25 of the sleeve 5. The connection is completed by the buckle 20 with the clamping screw 22. To increase the frictional force and thus provide for transmitting greater forces, the two contact surfaces of the connecting rod 2, particularly the block 7, are provided with one or more serrations 23 and 24 which are directed in longitudinal direction of the lamina.

To hinge the connecting rod 2 to the frame 3, the sleeve 5 which is arranged on the lamina 4 is, as illustrated in FIG. 3, introduced in the direction of the arrow, that is perpendicularly to the plane of the frame, into the opening 8. A sliding fit between the sleeve and opening is preferred. From the opposite side the pin 9 is moved into the hole 25 of the sleeve 5 for which a close press fit is desired. Said pin preferably extends into and bears against at least three-fourths of the axial extent of the hole 25. After this, the two lamina 4 and 6 are rotated against one another until the toothed surfaces of the connecting rod lie on one another whereupon they can be clamped fixedly against movement by means of the screw 22 and the buckle 20.

In one variation of the embodiment, the sleeve 5 can be shorter than the thickness of the frame 3. A flange 26 must therefore be arranged on the cooperating part, that is on the pin 9, which flange replaces the missing portion of the bearing in the entire frame. Said flange, where used, will have an outside diameter equal to the outside diameter of the sleeve 5. Both parts when assembled form one single piece.

It is, however, also possible to shape the hole 25 and also the pin conically through which a pre-tension can be achieved and a better power transmission can be obtained. This assures that both lamina act evenly as power transmitting legs. A good fit between pin 9 and sleeve 5 minimizes wear at the connecting point which must be pivotable only for the installation.

The lamina 4 and 6 are forced into a position to one another which is parallel on all sides through the serrations 23 and 24 which extend longitudinally in direction of the tensile force. Due to the directional alignment of the longitudinal serrations it is possible to bring both lamina against one another under a pressure through which the frame is particularly secured laterally.

The longitudinal serrations have advantageously inclined flanks with the help. of which through the contact force of the screw 22 the block 7 can transmit a greater longitudinal force onto the rod 2. Thus, the equal division of force between the two lamina is improved.

The angle of the serration flanks and the depth of the teeth thereby provided are chosen .in such a manner that one obtains very favorable frictional relationships and the teeth contact one another only on the flanks.

Instead of serrating the surfaces which lie against one another, it is also possible to serrate the external surfaces of connecting rod 2 and block 7. Corresponding serrations are then also provided on the inside surfaces of the buckle 20. A larger part of the power flow from one lamina to another in such case passes through the buckle. The buckle is here tubular and is of length corresponding approximately to that of the block 7.

It is possible with the described arrangement to exchange the heddle frame without having to spread apart the lamina 4, 6. The lamina remain parallel to one another during the driving in and out of the sleeve and pin. They must therefore no longer be resilient. No damaging play here exists between the sleeve and the pin on the one hand and the heddle frame on the other hand. A pivotal movement of the connecting rod in the plane of the heddle frame is, however, still possible.

The embodiments of the invention in which exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a releasable connection between an elongated frame and an elongated power transmitting connecting rod in a positively operatin shed-forming apparatus of a weaving machine, said releasable connection comprising a pair of parallel and coextensive extending lamina, said lamina being laterally spaced and adapted to receive said frame therebetween and means for fixedly securing said one of said pair of lamina to said power transmitting rod, the other of said pair of lamina being separate from said one lamina, the improvement comprising:

means defining a first opening in said frame transverse to the longitudinal axis of said frame, said pair of lamina both being rigid;

sleeve means and means defining a second opening therethrough, said sleeve means being fixedly secured to one of said pair of lamina and extending into said space therebetween and being adapted to be snugly and slidably received in said transverse direction in said first opening from one side of said frame;

pin means fixedly secured to the other of said pair of lamina and adapted to be snugly and slidably received in said transverse direction in said second opening from the opposite side of said frame; and

means for releasably connecting the other of said pair of lamina to said power transmitting connecting rod so that the force transmitted by said power transmitting connecting rod will be equally distributed to each of said lamina and thence to said frame.

2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said releasable connecting means comprises a buckle longitudinally slidably mounted on said power transmitting connecting rod, said buckle being adapted to encircle said power transmitting connecting rod and said other of said pair of said lamina when said pin means is received in said second opening and clamping means for clamping said other of said pair of lamina to said power transmitting connecting rod.

3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said power transmitting connecting rod includes a plurality of longitudinally extending first serrations therein and wherein said other of said lamina includes a plurality of longitudinally extending second serrations therein adapted to engage and cooperate with said first serrations to prevent a relative lateral movement between said power transmitting connecting rod and said other lamina; and

wherein said buckle is adapted to encircle said serrated portions; and

wherein said clamping means comprises means extending traversely of the longitudinal axis of said power transmitting connecting rod and adapted to urge said serrated portions tightly together.

4. The improvement according to claim 3, wherein said serrations define teeth, each tooth having inclined surfaces thereon, said inclined surfaces frictionally engaging each other to secure said lamina together.

5. The improvement according to claim 4, wherein said first serrations on said power transmitting connecting rod are located at the juncture between said one of said lamina and said power transmitting connecting rod.

6. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the length of said sleeve means is at least three-fourths the thickness of said frame.

7. The improvement according to claim 6, wherein said pin means includes an annular flange means encircling said pin means and having a diameter equal to the diameter of said sleeve means and adapted to occupy the remainder of the space in said first opening not occupied by said sleeve means.

8. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said snug reception of said sleeve means in said first opening and of said pin means in said second opening is a tight and clearance free fit.

9. The improvement according to claim 8, wherein said sleeve means and said pin means require a movement perpendicular to said frame in order to effect an insertion into said first opening and said second opening, respectively. 

1. In a releasable connection between an elongated frame and an elongated power transmitting connecting rod in a positively operatin shed-forming apparatus of a weaving machine, said releasable connection comprising a pair of parallel and coextensive extending lamina, said lamina being laterally spaced and adapted to receive said frame therebetween and means for fixedly securing said one of said pair of lamina to said power transmitting rod, the other of said pair of lamina being separate from said one lamina, the improvement comprising: means defining a first opening in said frame transverse to the longitudinal axis of said frame, said pair of lamina both being rigid; sleeve means and means defining a second opening therethrough, said sleeve means being fixedly secured to one of said pair of lamina and extending into said space therebetween and being adapted to be snugly and slidably received in said transverse direction in said first opening from one side of said frame; pin means fixedly secured to the other of said pair of lamina and adapted to be snugly and slidably received in said transverse direction in said second opening from the opposite side of said frame; and means for releasably connecting the other of said pair of lamina to said power transmitting connecting rod so that the force transmitted by said power transmitting connecting rod will be equally distributed to each of said lamina and thence to said frame.
 2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said releasable connecting mEans comprises a buckle longitudinally slidably mounted on said power transmitting connecting rod, said buckle being adapted to encircle said power transmitting connecting rod and said other of said pair of said lamina when said pin means is received in said second opening and clamping means for clamping said other of said pair of lamina to said power transmitting connecting rod.
 3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said power transmitting connecting rod includes a plurality of longitudinally extending first serrations therein and wherein said other of said lamina includes a plurality of longitudinally extending second serrations therein adapted to engage and cooperate with said first serrations to prevent a relative lateral movement between said power transmitting connecting rod and said other lamina; and wherein said buckle is adapted to encircle said serrated portions; and wherein said clamping means comprises means extending traversely of the longitudinal axis of said power transmitting connecting rod and adapted to urge said serrated portions tightly together.
 4. The improvement according to claim 3, wherein said serrations define teeth, each tooth having inclined surfaces thereon, said inclined surfaces frictionally engaging each other to secure said lamina together.
 5. The improvement according to claim 4, wherein said first serrations on said power transmitting connecting rod are located at the juncture between said one of said lamina and said power transmitting connecting rod.
 6. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the length of said sleeve means is at least three-fourths the thickness of said frame.
 7. The improvement according to claim 6, wherein said pin means includes an annular flange means encircling said pin means and having a diameter equal to the diameter of said sleeve means and adapted to occupy the remainder of the space in said first opening not occupied by said sleeve means.
 8. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said snug reception of said sleeve means in said first opening and of said pin means in said second opening is a tight and clearance free fit.
 9. The improvement according to claim 8, wherein said sleeve means and said pin means require a movement perpendicular to said frame in order to effect an insertion into said first opening and said second opening, respectively. 